Obama Calls the Elimination of Mullah Mansour a 'Significant Step' in the Afghan Peace Process

The President of the United States has officially confirmed the death of Mullah Mansour, the leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, in a U.S. airstrike, stating that his killing is a 'significant step' in the process of reviving and stabilizing peace in Afghanistan. Barack Obama, on June 3rd, in Hanoi, Vietnam, said, 'We removed the leader of an organization that continued to conspire and carry out attacks against American and coalition forces, was at war with the people of Afghanistan, and aligned itself with extremist groups like Al-Qaeda.' The U.S. Department of Defense announced on June 1st that Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, the leader of the Taliban, was targeted in a drone airstrike by the U.S. military. According to the Pentagon, this attack was carried out under the orders and discretion of the President of the United States. Hours after the announcement, the Afghan government's intelligence service confirmed his death due to an American drone strike. The attack on Mullah Mansour took place in Pakistan, with the Islamabad government describing it as an infringement on Pakistan's territorial integrity. Obama stated that the U.S. collaborates with Pakistan on a common goal, 'where terrorists who threaten our nations should not have a safe haven.' Reports indicate that Mullah Mansour was elected as the leader of the Taliban in July 2015, after the Taliban finally announced that Mullah Omar, its founder and famous leader, had died two years prior. Reuters reports that targeting the leader of the Afghan Taliban signifies Obama's intention to target the leadership apparatus of this group in Pakistan and Afghanistan. According to the President of the United States, 'The Taliban must seize the opportunity to choose the only real path to end the long battles; to join the Afghan government in a reconciliation process that leads to sustainable peace and prosperity.' The Wall Street Journal stated that the White House hopes the recent attack will deal a significant blow to the Taliban and exacerbate internal conflicts and battles among them to find a new leader. The President of the United States is assessing conditions to reduce American forces in Afghanistan from about 10,000 personnel to 5,500 by the end of this year.